Firecracker injuries so far down by 85%; stray bullet kills girl in Lanao del Norte
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health has so far reported a sharp 85-percent decline in the number of firecracker-related injuries as Filipinos ushered in 2021 with celebrations curtailed by movement restrictions and ban on the use of firecrackers.
But while there was a significant reduction in injuries linked to firecrackers, a stray bullet killed a girl from Lanao del Norte.
In a briefing Friday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said at least 50 people sustained injuries, with no cases of firework ingestion nor death, from December 21, 2020 to January 1, 2021. The figure is 85% lower than last year’s 340 injuries recorded within the same period and 89% lower than the average from 2015 to 2019.
Broken down, 49 were firecracker-related injuries and one was stray bullet injury. However, the Philippine National Police said in the same briefing that three people were struck by stray bullets.
Duque explained the DOH and the PNP have separate reporting platforms but both agencies will undergo reconciliation of data.
Of the total cases across the country, Metro Manila logged the highest number with 22. DOH said the capital region registered an 88-percent decrease in the number of injuries compared to the previous year.
Metro Manila was followed by Calabarzon with five cases and Ilocos region, Bicol region and Western Visayas with four cases each.
The ages of the victims ranged from four to 53 years old, and 71% percent of the injuries were men.
The leading causes of injuries were kwitis (29%), boga (8%), 5-Star (8%), Fountain (8%) and Triangle (8%).
Duque said significant reduction in the number of cases may be attributed to the “far-reaching effects of COVID-19 pandemic affective people’s willingness and ability to celebrate through the use of fireworks.”
It may also be credited to the moves of local government units in banning firecrackers as well as the information campaign of the agency, he added.
Metro Manila mayors agreed to prohibit all kinds of fireworks in the region.
In 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order 28, which limits the use of firecrackers only to community fireworks displays authorized by local governments.
New Year casualty
A New Year’s celebration in Lanao del Norte turned tragic after a 12-year-old girl was killed after being struck by a stray bullet at around 1 a.m., Police Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana, PNP spokesperson, said Friday.
"Based on the initial report, the kid was outside with her cousins playing. She was holding a piggy bank then all of a sudden, she fell to the ground," Usana said in Filipino.
There were also two other reported stray bullet injuries: in Dagupan City, Pangasinan and in Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental. The victim from Dagupan received home medication, while the victim in Santa Catalina, a six-year-old boy, is now recuperating in hospital.
Usana also said a police officer from Malabon City was arrested for indiscriminate filing.
“Definitely, she will be facing criminal and administrative sanctions,” she said.
PNP skipped this year the sealing of the muzzles of service firearms of cops. Debold Sinas, PNP chief, said that the taping of gun muzzles is “not effective” and that “most of our police officers are disciplined now.”
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